Toner and developer compositions comprising fullerene

ABSTRACT

A toner composition comprised of resin particles and pigment particles comprised of a fullerene or fullerenes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is generally directed to toner and developercompositions, and more specifically the present invention is directed totoner compositions, including magnetic, single component, and coloredtoner compositions comprised of a new third form of carbon. In oneembodiment of the present invention, the toner compositions arecomprised of resin particles, and pigment particles comprised of any oneof the fullerenes, such as buckminsterfullerene, giant fullerenes ormixtures thereof. There are also provided in accordance with the presentinvention toner compositions comprised of resin particles, pigmentparticles comprised of buckminsterfullerene, any one of the fullerenes,giant fullerenes or mixtures thereof, and charge enhancing additives.Furthermore, there is provided in accordance with the present inventiontoner compositions wherein the buckminsterfullerene or fullerenes can bepresent as external or internal additives. In addition, the presentinvention is directed to developer compositions comprised of theaforementioned toners and carrier particles. Furthermore, in anotherembodiment of the present invention there are provided single componenttoner compositions comprised of resin particles, magnetic componentssuch as magnetites, and pigment particles comprised ofbuckminsterfullerene, any one of the fullerenes, giant fullerenes, highmolecular weigh fullerenes, or mixtures thereof. The toner and developercompositions of the present invention are useful in electrostatographicimaging systems, especially xerographic imaging and printing processes.

Molecular fullerenes have been described as entirely closed, hollowspheroidal shells of carbon atoms containing 32 to 1,000 or more carbonatoms in each sphere, reference Smalley, R. E. "Supersonic CarbonCluster Beams in Atomic and Molecular Clusters", Bernstein, E. R., Ed.;Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Vol. 68, Elsevier Science: New York,1990; pages 1 to 68, the disclosure of which is totally incorporatedherein by reference. The prototypical fullerene, C₆₀, has been referredto as buckminsterfullerene and has the molecular geometry of a truncatedicosahedron, thus the C₆₀ molecules resemble a molecular sized soccerball, reference Time Magazine, May 6, 1991, page 66, and Science, vol.252, Apr. 12, 1991, page 646, the disclosure of which is totallyincorporated herein by reference. Molecules of C₆₀ as well as of C₇₀ andof other fullerenes have also been referred to as buckyballs.Buckminsterfullerene usually consists of C₆₀ molecules contaminated withsmall amounts of C₇₀ and possibly C₈₄ molecules or even smaller amountsof higher molecular weight fullerene molecules. The preparation ofbuckminsterfullerene and of other fullerenes from the contact arcvaporization of graphite and a number of the buckminsterfullerenecharacteristics such as solubility, crystallinity, color and the like,have been described in Kratschmer, W., Lamb, L. D., Fostiropoulos, K.,Huffman, D. R., Nature, 1990, Vol. 347, pages 354 to 358 and in Chemicaland Engineering News, Oct. 29, 1990, pages 22 to 25 , the disclosures ofwhich are totally incorporated herein by reference. The fullerenes areavailable from Texas Fullerenes Corporation, 2415 Shakespeare Suite 5,Houston, Tex. 77030-1038, Materials & Electrochemical Research (MER)Corporation, 7960 South Kolb Road, Tucson, Ariz. 85706, and ResearchMaterials, Inc., 1667 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colo. 80401, and arebelieved to be comprised of mainly C₆₀ and smaller amounts of C₇₀ andC₈₄ carbon molecules, and possible small amounts of other highermolecular weight fullerenes. It is believed that these new forms ofcarbon possess a number of advantages for toners, including, forexample, their solubility in organic solvents. The other known carbonforms, diamond and graphite and derivatives thereof, are not consideredto be soluble in such solvents. Solubility in organic solvents enablesimproved processing and the economical preparation of toner compositionswherein the optical density is considered low since the fullerenes areof different colors and are of substantially lower optical density thanordinary carbon black, thereby enabling their use in colored tonerswith, for example, cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green, and brown toners.Moreover, the surface conductivity characteristics of derivatizedfullerenes can provide for conductive toners. Also, the fullerenes maybe selected as toner charge enhancing additives, especially for coloredtoners. Further, the fullerenes may be deposited on known surface flowadditives, such as colloidal silicas like the AEROSILS®, such as AEROSILR972®, and the resulting product selected as a charge additive for tonercompositions.

Developer and toner compositions with carbon black pigments, such asREGAL 330® carbon black, are known. Also, toners and developers withcertain charge enhancing additives and surface additives are known.Representative patents disclosing the aforementioned toners anddevelopers include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,590,000; 4,298,672; 4,560,635;4,937,166 and 4,935,326, the disclosures of which are totallyincorporated herein by reference. Also known are toners and developerswith colored pigments, such as cyan, yellow, magenta, and mixturesthereof, and toners with additives such as waxes, like polypropylene, orpolyethylene. Additionally, toners with surface additives such assilicas, metal salts of fatty acids, and the like are known.

More specifically, developer and toner compositions with certain waxestherein are known. For example, there are disclosed in U.K. PatentPublication 1,442,835 toner compositions containing resin particles andpolyalkylene compounds, such as polyethylene and polypropylene of amolecular weight of from about 1,500 to 6,000, reference page 3, lines97 to 119, which compositions prevent toner offsetting in electrostaticimaging processes. Additionally, the '835 publication discloses theaddition of paraffin waxes together with, or without a metal salt of afatty acid, reference page 2, lines 55 to 58. In addition, many patentsdisclose the use of metal salts of fatty acids for incorporation intotoner compositions, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,374. Also, it is knownthat the aforementioned toner compositions with metal salts of fattyacids can be selected for electrostatic imaging methods wherein bladecleaning of the photoreceptor is accomplished, reference Palmeriti etal. U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,704, the disclosure of which is totallyincorporated herein by reference. Additionally, there are illustrated inU.S. Pat. No. 3,983,045 three component developer compositionscomprising toner particles, a friction reducing material, and a finelydivided nonsmearable abrasive material, reference column 4, beginning atline 31. Examples of friction reducing materials include saturated orunsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, fatty acids preferably offrom 8 to 35 carbon atoms, or metal salts of such fatty acids; fattyalcohols corresponding to said acids; mono and polyhydric alcohol estersof said acids and corresponding amides; polyethylene glycols andmethoxy-polyethylene glycols; terephthalic acids; and the like,reference column 7, lines 13 to 43.

Toner and developer compositions containing charge enhancing additives,including additives which impart a positive charge to the toner resin,are well known. Thus, for example, there is described in U.S. Pat. No.3,893,935 the use of certain quaternary ammonium salts as charge controlagents for electrostatic toner compositions. There are also described inU.S. Pat. No. 2,986,521 reversal developer compositions comprised oftoner resin particles coated with finely divided colloidal silica.Further, there are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,390, thedisclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference,developer and toner compositions having incorporated therein as chargeenhancing additives organic sulfate and sulfonate compositions; and inU.S. Pat. No. 4,298,672, the disclosure of which is totally incorporatedherein by reference, positively charged toner compositions containingresin particles and pigment particles, and as a charge enhancingadditive alkyl pyridinium compounds, inclusive of cetyl pyridiniumchloride.

Other prior art disclosing positively charged toner compositions withcharge enhancing additives include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,944,493; 4,007,293;4,079,014 and 4,394,430. Toners with aluminum complex charge additivesare illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,003. The disclosure of each ofthe United States patents is totally incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a feature of the present invention to provide toner and developercompositions which possess many of the advantages illustrated herein.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision oftoner and developer compositions with stable triboelectricalcharacteristics for extended time periods.

In another feature of the present invention there are provided tonercompositions comprised of a third form of carbon, referred to as afullerene, a form of C₆₀ carbon, or a mixture of C₆₀ with otherfullerenes.

Moreover, another feature of the present invention relates to theprovision of colored toner and developer compositions.

Furthermore, another feature of the present invention resides in theprovision of positively charged, or negatively charged toner anddeveloper compositions useful for the development of images present onpositively or negatively charged imaging members.

Additionally, in yet another feature of the present invention there areprovided toner and developer compositions with certain waxes therein orthereon that enable images of excellent quality inclusive of acceptableresolutions.

In another feature of the present invention there are provided tonercompositions with fullerenes therein or thereon which are useful forcausing the development of electrostatic latent images, including colorimages.

Further, in another feature of the present invention there are providedsubstantially colorless toner compositions with solid fullerenepigments.

Moreover, in another feature of the present invention there are providedtoner compositions with high molecular weight fullerenes, such as C₂₃₄,C₃₄₀, or mixtures thereof.

Further, in another feature of the present invention there are providedtoner compositions, and the like, such as charge additives comprised ofpolymerized fullerenes, or oligomerized fullerenes.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision oftoners with derivatized fullerenes containing various groups, such asalkyls, of for example from 1 to about 25 carbon atoms, like methyl,ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, heptyl, hexyl, and the like; aryls with,for example, from 6 to about 24 carbon atoms like phenyl, naphthyl, andthe like; ethylene diamine; hydroxy; carboxy; carbonyl; amino; amido;osmylato; oxo dioxo; keto; mercapto; alkoxy, such as methoxy, and thelike; imino; allyl; ethynyl; azo; nitroso; formyl; halo, such as chloro;cyano, carboxamido; alkoxycarbonyl; nitro; vinyl; peroxy; and the like,which groups can be appended via chemical bonding to the fullerene cage,reference for example The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1990, Volume 55,pages 6250 to 6252, the disclosure of this article being totallyincorporated herein by reference. These fullerenes thus could containchemical groups that can function as dyes, surfactants, lubricants,hydrophobic segments, hydrophilic segments, and the like, to for exampleenhance toner performance, such as flow, moisture resistance, and thelike. Furthermore, toners, and the like with fullerenes that containnoncarbon atoms in the cage are envisioned. These fullerenes can bederived from an all carbon fullerene wherein, one, two, three, four, ormore carbon atoms comprising the framework are replaced with knownnoncarbon atoms, such as boron. Also, fullerenes with an atom, or atoms,other than carbon inside the cage, such as any atom, or atoms, of theknown Periodic Table, such as calcium, sodium, potassium, silicon,copper, selenium, lanthanum, chlorine, iron, and the like, thedisclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, can betrapped inside the spheroidal cluster of carbon atoms.

In yet another feature of the present invention there are providedtoners and the like, such as charge additives with derivatized,substituted, filled, or pristine fullerenes.

It is still another feature of the present invention to provide tonerswith fullerenes, or a fullerene with a molecular weight of from about384 to about 12,000.

These and other features of the present invention can be accomplished byproviding developer compositions and toner compositions comprised ofresin particles, and pigment particles comprised of fullerenes, a newthird form of carbon also referred to as buckminsterfullerene orbuckyballs, other forms of fullerenes illustrated herein, and otherknown fullerenes. More specifically, the present invention is directedto toner compositions comprised of resin particles, and pigmentparticles comprised of fullerenes, a third form of carbon, described asbeing comprised of 60 atom clusters of carbon arranged at the verticiesof a truncated icosahedron and resembling miniature soccer balls. Such astructure resembles the geodesic domes designed by R. BuckministerFuller, Jr., the namesake of these molecular structures. In oneembodiment of the present invention, there are provided tonercompositions comprised of resin particles, pigment particles, andfullerenes as charge additives. Also, in another embodiment of thepresent invention there are provided colored toner compositionscomprised of known toner resin particles, fullerene pigment particles,and pigment particles comprised of cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green,blue, brown, or mixtures thereof. Furthermore, there are provided inaccordance with the present invention positively charged tonercompositions comprised of resin particles, fullerene pigment particles,polymeric alcohol waxes, and charge enhancing additives. Anotherembodiment of the present invention is directed to developercompositions comprised of the aforementioned toners and carrierparticles. Reference to fullerenes includes all forms of the fullerenesillustrated herein, other known fullerenes, mixtures thereof inembodiments, and the like.

In addition, in accordance with embodiments of the present inventionthere are provided developer compositions comprised of tonercompositions containing resin particles, particularly styrene butadieneresins, fullerene pigment particles, polymeric hydroxy waxes availablefrom Petrolite, which waxes can be incorporated into the tonercompositions as internal additives or may be present as externalcomponents; and optional charge enhancing additives, particularly forexample distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, reference U.S. Pat.No. 4,560,635, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein byreference, and carrier particles. As carrier components for theaforementioned compositions, there can be selected steel or ferritematerials, particularly with a polymeric coating thereover includingfluoropolymers, terpolymers of styrene, methacrylate, and an organosilane, polymethylmethacrylate, mixtures of polymers, and the like,reference for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,590,000; 3,526,533; 3,849,182;4,040,969; 4,937,166 and 4,935,326, the disclosures of which are eachtotally incorporated herein by reference. Developer compositionscomprised of carrier particles and a toner composition comprised offullerenes, or a fullerene are also envisioned by the present inventionin embodiments thereof.

Illustrative examples of suitable known toner resins selected for thetoner and developer compositions of the present invention, and presentin various effective amounts such as, for example, from about 70 percentby weight to about 98 percent by weight, include polyesters, polyamides,epoxy resins, polyurethanes, polyolefins, vinyl resins, styrenemethacrylates, styrene acrylates, styrene butadienes, crosslinkedstyrene copolymers, and polymeric esterification products of adicarboxylic acid and a diol comprising a diphenol, and the like.Typical vinyl resins that may be selected as the toner resin includehomopolymers or copolymers of two or more vinyl monomers. Examples ofvinyl monomeric units include styrene, p-chlorostyrene, vinylnaphthalene, unsaturated mono-olefins such as ethylene, propylene,butylene, isobutylene and the like; vinyl halides such as vinylchloride, vinyl bromide, vinyl fluoride, vinyl acetate, vinylpropionate, vinyl benzoate, and vinyl butyrate; vinyl esters such asesters of monocarboxylic acids including methyl acrylate, ethylacrylate, n-butylacrylate, isobutyl acrylate, dodecyl acrylate, n-octylacrylate, 2-chloroethyl acrylate, phenyl acrylate,methylalpha-chloroacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, andbutyl methacrylate; acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylamide; vinylethers such as vinyl methyl ether, vinyl isobutyl ether, and vinyl ethylether; N-vinyl indole; N-vinyl pyrrolidone; and the like. Specificexamples of toner resins include styrene butadiene copolymers,especially styrene butadiene copolymers prepared by a suspensionpolymerization process reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,108, thedisclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference; andmixtures thereof.

As one toner resin, there can be selected the esterification products ofa dicarboxylic acid and a diol comprising a diphenol, which componentsare illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,000, the disclosure of which istotally incorporated herein by reference. Other specific toner resinsinclude styrene/methacrylate, especially butyl methacrylate, copolymers,styrene/acrylate copolymers, and styrene/butadiene copolymers,especially those as illustrated in the aforementioned patent; andstyrene butadiene resins with high styrene content, that is exceedingfrom about 80 to 85 percent by weight of styrene, which resins areavailable as PLIOLITES® and PLIOTONES® from Goodyear Chemical Company;polyester resins obtained from the reaction of bisphenol A and propyleneoxide, followed by the reaction of the resulting product with fumaricacid; and branched polyester resins resulting from the reaction ofdimethylterephthalate, 1,3-butanediol, 1,2-propanediol andpentaerythritol, and other known toner resins.

The pigment particles for the toners of the present invention can becomprised of fullerenes, a new form of carbon as illustrated herein, andas obtained from the sources mentioned herein. The aforementionedfullerenes are believed to be comprised mainly of C₆₀ but contain someC₇₀ carbon as well and probably small amounts of higher molecular weightfullerenes. As pigment particles the solid fullerenes are present invarious effective amounts, such as for example from about 1 to about 25,and preferably from about 3 to about 15 weight percent. High molecularweight fullerenes, such as C₂₃₄, C₃₄₀, and the like may also beselected.

The pigment particles may also be comprised of a mixture, in effectiveamounts, of the fullerenes or a fullerene, and magnetites, includingthose commercially available as MAPICO BLACK®, which can be present inthe toner composition in an amount of from about 10 percent by weight toabout 70 percent by weight, and preferably in an amount of from about 10percent by weight to about 30 percent by weight. Known black pigments,in effective amounts, such as from about 2 to about 10 weight percent,such as carbon black like REGAL 330® carbon black, may also be includedin the toners and developers of the present invention in embodimentsthereof.

In embodiments of the present invention, there are provided coloredtoner compositions comprised of resin particles, fullerene pigmentparticles, and pigments or colorants such as magenta, cyan, and/oryellow particles, as well as mixtures thereof. More specifically, withregard to the generation of color images utilizing the toner anddeveloper compositions of the present invention, illustrative examplesof magenta materials that may be selected include, for example,2,9-dimethyl-substituted quinacridone and anthraquinone dye identifiedin the Color Index as Cl 60710, Cl Dispersed Red 15, a diazo dyeidentified in the Color Index as Cl 26050, Cl Solvent Red 10, LITHOLSCARLETT™, HOSTAPERM™, and the like. Illustrative examples of cyanmaterials that may be used as pigments include copper tetra-4(octadecylsulfonamido) phthalocyanine, X-copper phthalocyanine pigment listed inthe Color Index as Cl 74160, Cl Pigment Blue, and Anthrathrene Blue,identified in the Color Index as Cl 69810, Special Blue X-2137, SUDANBLUE™, and the like; while illustrative examples of yellow pigments thatmay be selected include diarylide yellow 3,3-dichlorobenzideneacetoacetanilides, a monazo pigment identified in the Color Index as Cl12700, Cl Solvent Yellow 16, a nitrophenyl amine sulfonamide identifiedin the Color Index as Foron Yellow SE/GLN, Cl Dispersed Yellow 33,2,5-dimethoxy-4-sulfonanilide phenylazo-4'-chloro-2,5-dimethoxyacetoacetanilide, Permanent Yellow FGL, and the like. The mixture offullerene and colored pigments are generally present in the tonercomposition in an effective amount of, for example, from about 2 weightpercent to about 20 weight percent based on the weight of the tonerresin particles. Moreover, the fullerenes, in effective amounts, such asfor example from about 1 to about 10, and preferably from 1 to about 5weight percent can function as a color pigment in of themselves, forexample the C₆₀ can be yellow in color; the C₇₀ can be redish brown; orthe fullerenes can function as an added toner color component, orenhancer.

Illustrative examples of optional charge enhancing additives present inthe toner in various effective amounts, such as for example from about0.1 to about 20 percent, and preferably from about 1 to about 5 weightpercent, include alkyl pyridinium halides, such as cetyl pyridiniumchlorides, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,672, the disclosure of which istotally incorporated herein by reference, cetyl pyridiniumtetrafluoroborates, quaternary ammonium sulfate, and sulfonate chargecontrol agents as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,390, the disclosureof which is totally incorporated herein by reference; stearyl phenethyldimethyl ammonium tosylates, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,390, thedisclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference;distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, reference U.S. Pat. No.4,560,635, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein byreference; stearyl dimethyl hydrogen ammonium tosylate; and other knownsimilar charge enhancing additives; and the like. The fullerenes mayalso be selected as a charge additive for the toner compositionsillustrated herein. In an embodiment, the aforementioned toners arecomprised of resin particles, pigment particles comprised of carbonblack, such as REGAL 330®, or fullerenes, and as charge additivesfullerenes contained on surface additives such as colloidal silicas.

With further respect to the toner and developer compositions of thepresent invention, linear polymeric alcohol comprised of a fullysaturated hydrocarbon backbone with at least about 80 percent of thepolymeric chains terminated at one chain end with a hydroxyl group,which alcohol as represented by the following formula may also beincluded in the toner, or on the toner surface:

    CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.n CH.sub.2 OH

wherein n is a number of from about 30 to about 300, and preferably offrom about 30 to about 100, which alcohols are available from PetroliteCorporation. Particularly preferred polymeric alcohols include thosewherein n represents a number of from about 30 to about 50. Therefore,in one embodiment of the present invention the polymeric alcoholsselected have a number average molecular weight as determined by gaschromatography of from about greater than 450 to about 1,400, andpreferably of from about 475 to about 750. In addition, theaforementioned polymeric alcohols are present in the toner and developercompositions illustrated herein in various effective amounts, and can beadded as uniformly dispersed internal, or as finely divided uniformlydispersed external additives. More specifically, the polymeric alcoholscan be present in an amount of from about 0.05 percent to about 20percent by weight. Therefore, for example, as internal additives thepolymeric alcohols are present in an amount of from about 0.5 percent byweight to about 20 percent by weight, while as external additives thepolymeric alcohols are present in an amount of from about 0.05 percentby weight to slightly less than about 5 percent by weight. Toner anddeveloper compositions with the waxes present internally are formulatedby initially blending the toner resin particles, pigment particles, andpolymeric alcohols, and other optional components. In contrast, when thepolymeric alcohols are present as external additives, the tonercomposition is initially formulated comprised of, for example, resinparticles and pigment particles; and subsequently there is added theretofinely divided polymeric alcohols. Surface additives, such as colloidalsilicas, such as AEROSIL R972®, metal salts of fatty acids, metaloxides, and the like, in effective amounts of, for example, from about0.1 to about 3 weight perent may be included on the toner surface.

Illustrative examples of carrier particles that can be selected formixing with the toner compositions of the present invention includethose particles that are capable of triboelectrically obtaining a chargeof opposite polarity to that of the toner particles. Accordingly, thecarrier particles of the present invention can be selected so as to beof a negative polarity, thereby enabling the toner particles which arepositively charged to adhere to and surround the carrier particles.Alternatively, there can be selected carrier particles with a positivepolarity enabling toner compositions with a negative polarity.Illustrative examples of carrier particles that may be selected includegranular zircon, granular silicon, glass, steel, nickel, iron, ferrites,silicon dioxide, and the like. Additionally, there can be selected ascarrier particles nickel berry carriers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.3,847,604, which carriers are comprised of nodular carrier beads ofnickel characterized by surfaces of reoccurring recesses and protrusionsthereby providing particles with a relatively large external area. Thecarrier particles selected for the present invention can be comprised ofa magnetic, such as steel, core with a polymeric coating thereover,several of which are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Ser. No. 751,922(now abandoned) relating to developer compositions with certain carrierparticles, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein byreference. More specifically, there are illustrated in theaforementioned application carrier particles comprised of a core with acoating thereover of vinyl polymers, or vinyl homopolymers. Examples ofspecific carriers illustrated in this abandoned application, andparticularly useful for the present invention are those comprised of asteel or ferrite core with a coating thereover of a vinylchloride/trifluorochloroethylene copolymer, which coating containstherein conductive particles, such as carbon black. Other known coatingsinclude fluoropolymers, such as polyvinylidenefluoride resins,poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene), fluorinated ethylene and propylenecopolymers, terpolymers of styrene, methylmethacrylate, and a silane,such as triethoxy silane, reference U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,467,634 and3,526,533, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein byreference; polytetrafluoroethylene, fluorine containing polyacrylates,and polymethacrylates; copolymers of vinyl chloride; andtrichlorofluoroethylene; and other known coatings. There can also beselected as carriers components comprised of a core with a doublepolymer coating thereover, reference U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,937,166 and4,935,326, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein byreference. More specifically, there are illustrated in these patentscarrier particles with a polymer mixture which can be prepared by (1)mixing carrier cores with a polymer mixture comprising from about 10 toabout 90 percent by weight of a first polymer, and from about 90 toabout 10 percent by weight of a second polymer; (2) dry mixing thecarrier core particles and the polymer mixture for a sufficient periodof time enabling the polymer mixture to adhere to the carrier coreparticles; (3) heating the mixture of carrier core particles and polymermixture to a temperature of between about 200° F. and about 550° F.whereby the polymer mixture melts and fuses to the carrier coreparticles; and (4) thereafter cooling the resulting coated carrierparticles.

Also, while the size of the carrier particles can vary, generally theyare of a diameter of from about 50 microns to about 1,000 microns, andpreferably in embodiments from about 50 to about 250 microns, thusallowing these particles to, for example, possess sufficient density andinertia to avoid adherence to the electrostatic images during thedevelopment process. The carrier particles can be mixed with the tonerparticles in various suitable combinations, such as about 1 to about 5parts per toner to about 100 parts to about 200 parts by weight ofcarrier.

The toner compositions of the present invention can be prepared by anumber of known methods, including mechanical blending and melt blendingthe toner resin particles, pigment particles or colorants, and otheradditives followed by mechanical attrition. Other methods include thosewell known in the art such as spray drying, mechanical dispersion, meltdispersion, dispersion polymerization, extrusion, and suspensionpolymerization. The toners can be subjected to known micronization, andclassifications to provide toner particles with an average volumediameter of from about 9 to about 20, and preferably from about 10 toabout 15 microns as determined by a Coulter Counter. Also, the tonerscan possess a toner triboelectric charge of from about a positive ornegative 10 to about 50, and in embodiments from about 15 to about 30microcoulombs per gram as determined by the known Faraday Cage method.The triboelectric charge can depend on a number of known factors, suchas the toner components, the carrier components, including the carriercoating, the coating weight, and the like.

The toner and developer compositions of the present invention may beselected for use in developing images in electrostatographic imaging andsystems, containing therein, for example, conventional photoreceptors,such as selenium and selenium alloys. Also useful, especially whereinthere are selected positively charged toner compositions, are layeredphotoresponsive devices comprised of transport layers andphotogenerating layers, reference U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,265,990; 4,585,884;4,584,253 and 4,563,408, the disclosures of which are totallyincorporated herein by reference, and other similar layeredphotoresponsive devices. Examples of photogenerating layers includeselenium, selenium alloys, trigonal selenium, metal; phthalocyanines,metal free phthalocyanines, titanyl phthalocyanines, and vanadylphthalocyanines, while examples of charge transport layers include thearyl amines as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990. Moreover, there canbe selected as photoconductors hydrogenated amorphous silicon; and asphotogenerating pigments squaraines, perylenes; and the like.

Moreover, the toner and developer compositions of the present inventionare particularly useful with electrostatographic imaging apparatusescontaining a development zone situated between a charge transportingmeans and a metering charging means, which apparatus is illustrated inU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,394,429 and 4,368,970. More specifically, there isillustrated in the aforementioned '429 patent a self-agitated,two-component, insulative development process and apparatus whereintoner is made continuously available immediately adjacent to a flexibledeflected imaging surface, and toner particles transfer from one layerof carrier particles to another layer of carrier particles in adevelopment zone. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by bringing atransporting member, such as a development roller, and a tensioneddeflected flexible imaging member into close proximity, that is adistance of from about 0.05 millimeter to about 1.5 millimeters, andpreferably from about 0.4 millimeter to about 1.0 millimeter in thepresent of a high electric field, and causing such members to move atrelative speeds. There is illustrated in the aforementioned '970 patentan electrostatographic imaging apparatus comprised of an imaging means,a charging means, an exposure means, a development means, and a fixingmeans, the improvement residing in the development means comprising inoperative relationship a tensioned deflected flexible imaging means; atransporting means; a development zone situated between the imagingmeans and the transporting means; the development zone containingtherein electrically insulating magnetic carrier particles, means forcausing the flexible imaging means to move at a speed of from about 5centimeters/second to about 50 centimeters/second, means for causing thetransporting means to move at a speed of from about 6 centimeters/secondto about 100 centimeters/second, the means for imaging and the means fortransporting moving at different speeds; and the means for imaging andthe means for transporting having a distance therebetween of from about0.05 millimeter to about 1.5 millimeters.

The following examples are being provided. Also, parts and percentagesare by weight unless otherwise indicated.

EXAMPLE I

There is prepared by melt blending, followed by mechanical attrition,and classification a toner composition with an average volume particlediameter of about 11 microns comprised of 91 percent by weight of astyrene butadiene resin with 91 percent by weight of styrene and 9percent by weight of butadiene, and 9 percent by weight of a fullereneC₆₀ as obtained from Texas Fullerene Corporation. Subsequently, therecan be prepared a developer composition by admixing the aforementionedformulated toner composition at a 4.5 percent toner concentration, thatis 4.5 parts by weight of toner per 100 parts by weight of carrier,which carrier can be comprised of a steel core with a coating, 0.8percent coating weight, thereover of a vinyl chloridetrichlorofluoroethylene copolymer with conductive VULCAN® carbon blackparticles, 20 weight percent, dispersed therein.

Thereafter, the formulated developer composition can be incorporatedinto an electrostatographic imaging device with a toner transportingmeans, a toner metering charging means, and a development zone asillustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,429, the disclosure of which istotally incorporated herein by reference; and wherein the imaging memberis comprised of an aluminum supporting substrate, a photogeneratinglayer of trigonal selenium, and a charge transport layer thereover ofthe aryl amine N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine, 50 percent by weight, dispersed in 50percent by weight of the polycarbonate resin available as MAKROLON®,reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990, the disclosure of which is totallyincorporated herein by reference. Images of excellent resolution may beobtained.

EXAMPLE II

A toner and developer composition can be prepared by repeating theprocedure of Example I with the exception that there are selected 7percent by weight of the fullerene, and 2 weight percent of REGAL330®carbon black.

The prepared developer composition can then be incorporated into thesame electrostatographic imaging device of Example I, and there canresult images, it is believed, of excellent quality, for example, withno background deposits.

EXAMPLE III

A toner and developer composition is prepared by repeating the procedureof Example I with the exception that there is selected as the pigment inplace of the fullerene, REGAL 330® carbon black, 6 weight percent, andas a charge additive the fullerene of Example I, 3 percent by weight.

EXAMPLE IV

A reddish brown toner can be prepared by repeating the procedure ofExample I with the exception that about 3 weight percent of thefullerene C₇₀ and 97 weight percent of the styrene resin are selected.

EXAMPLE V

A yellow toner can be prepared by repeating the procedure of Example Iwith the exception that about 2 weight percent of the fullerene C₆₀ and98 weight percent of the styrene resin are selected.

EXAMPLE VI

A red toner can be prepared by repeating the procedure of Example I withthe exception that about 2 weight percent of the fullerene C₆₀, 3 weightpercent of LITHOL SCARLETT™ and 95 weight percent of the styrene resinare selected.

EXAMPLE VII

A red toner can be prepared by repeating the procedure of Example I withthe exception that about 2 weight percent of the fullerene C₆₀, 3 weightpercent of LITHOL SCARLETT™ and 95 weight percent of the styrene resinare selected.

EXAMPLE VIII

There was prepared by suspension polymerization, followed by mechanicalattrition, and classification a white toner composition, with a weightaverage particle diameter of about 8 microns, comprised of 100 percentby weight of a styrene butadiene resin with 91 percent by weight ofstyrene and 9 percent by weight of butadiene, and subsequently adding tothe toner surface 0.44 weight percent of the fullerene, C₆₀ as obtainedfrom Texas Fullerene Corporation. Subsequently, there was prepared adeveloper composition by admixing the aforementioned formulated tonercomposition at a 1.62 percent toner concentration, that is 1.62 parts byweight of toner per 100 parts by weight of carrier, which carrier wascomprised of a steel core with a polymer coating mixture, 0.7 percentcoating weight, thereover of 50 weight percent of KYNAR®, and 50 weightpercent of polymethylmethacrylate, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,166,the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. Thetoner had a triboelectric charge of a negative (-) 49.6 microcoulombsper gram, at 1.62 toner concentration, as determined by the knownFaraday Cage method. Substantially similar imaging results as in ExampleI were obtained.

EXAMPLE IX

There was prepared by suspension polymerization, followed by mechanicalattrition, and classification a white toner composition with a weightaverage particle diameter of about 8 microns comprised of 100 percent byweight of a styrene butadiene resin with 91 percent by weight of styreneand 9 percent by weight of butadiene, and subsequently adding to thetoner surface 0.44 weight percent of the fullerence C₆₀ as obtained fromTexas Fullerene Corporation. Subsequently, there was prepared adeveloper composition by admixing the aforementioned formulated tonercomposition at a 0.7 percent toner concentration, that is 1.54 parts byweight of toner per 100 parts by weight of carrier, which carrier wascomprised of a steel core with a polymer coating mixture, 0.7 percentcoating weight, thereover of 70 weight percent of KYNAR®, and 30 weightpercent of polymethylmethacrylate, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,166,the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. Thetoner had a triboelectric charge of a negative (-) 27.3 microcoulombsper gram, at 1.54 toner concentration, as determined by the knownFaraday Cage method. Substantially similar imaging results as in ExampleI were obtained.

EXAMPLE X

There was prepared by suspension polymerization, followed by mechanicalattrition, and classification a white toner composition with a weightaverage particle diameter of about 8 microns comprised of 100 percent byweight of a styrene butadiene resin with 91 percent by weight of styreneand 9 percent by weight of butadiene, and subsequently adding to thetoner surface 0.44 weight percent of the fullerence C₆₀ as obtained fromTexas Fullerene Corporation. Subsequently, there was prepared adeveloper composition by admixing the aforementioned formulated tonercomposition at a 0.7 percent toner concentration, that is 1.40 parts byweight of toner per 100 parts by weight of carrier, which carrier wascomprised of a steel core with a polymer coating mixture, 0.7 percentcoating weight, thereover of 90 weight percent of KYNAR®, and 10 weightpercent of polymethylmethacrylate, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,166,the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. Thetoner has a triboelectric charge of a negative (-) 2.6 microcoulombs pergram at 1.40 toner concentration, as determined by the known FaradayCage method. Substantially similar imaging results as in Example I wereobtained.

Thereafter, the formulated developer composition can be incorporatedinto an electrostatographic imaging device with a toner transportingmeans, a toner metering charging means, and a development zone asillustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,429, the disclosure of which istotally incorporated herein by reference, and wherein the imaging memberis comprised of an aluminum supporting substrate, a photogeneratinglayer of trigonal selenium, and a charge transport layer thereover ofthe aryl amine N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine, 50 percent by weight, dispersed in 50percent by weight of the polycarbonate resin available as MAKROLON®,reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990, the disclosure of which is totallyincorporated herein by reference. Images of excellent resolution can beobtained.

Other toner and developer compositions can be prepared by repeating theprocesses as recited in the above Examples, and as illustrated hereinwith the exception that there may be selected fullerenes, such as C₇₀,C₂₃₄, C₃₄₀, polymeric.fullerenes, and other known fullerenes.

Other modifications of the present invention may occur to those skilledin the art subsequent to a review of the present application. Theaforementioned modifications, including equivalents thereof, areintended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A toner composition comprised of resin particlesand pigment particles comprised of a fullerene or fullerenes wherein thefullerene or fullerenes are comprised of C₆₀ carbon, C₇₀ carbon, C₈₄carbon, C₂₃₄ carbon, C₃₄₀ carbon, or mixtures thereof.
 2. A tonercomposition in accordance with claim 1 containing a charge enhancingadditive.
 3. A toner composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein thecharge enhancing additive is selected from the group consisting ofdistearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, cetyl pyridinium halides,and stearyl phenethyl dimethyl ammonium tosylate.
 4. A developercomposition comprised of the toner of claim 1, and carrier particles. 5.A developer composition in accordance with claim 4 wherein the carrierparticles are comprised of a core with a polymeric coating thereover. 6.A developer composition in accordance with claim 4 wherein the carrierparticles are comprised of a steel or a ferrite core with a coatingthereover selected from the group consisting ofpolychlorotrifluoroethylene-co-vinylchloride copolymer, a polyvinylidenefluoropolymer, a terpolymer of styrene, methacrylate, and an organosilane, fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymers, andpolytetrafluoroethylene.
 7. A method for obtaining images whichcomprises generating an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductiveimaging member, subsequently affecting development of this image withthe toner composition of claim 1, thereafter transferring the image to apermanent substrate, and optionally permanently affixing the imagethereto.
 8. A toner in accordance with claim 1 wherein the fullerene iscomprised of alkyl fullerenes, wherein alkyl contains from 1 to about 25carbon atoms, or aryl fullerenes, wherein aryl contains from 6 to about24 carbon atoms.
 9. A toner composition comprised of resin and pigmentconsisting essential of a fullerene or fullerenes wherein the fullereneor fullerenes are comprised of C₆₀ carbon, C₇₀ carbon, C₈₄ carbon, C₂₃₄carbon, C₃₄₀ carbon, or mixtures thereof.
 10. A toner composition inaccordance with claim 9 wherein the fullerenes are comprised of C₆₀carbon in the configuration of a soccer ball.
 11. A toner composition inaccordance with claim 9 wherein the resin is comprised of a styrenemethacrylate, a polyester, a styrene butadiene, or a styrene acrylate.12. A toner composition in accordance with claim 11 wherein thepolyester results from the condensation reaction ofdimethylterephthalate, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, andpentaerythritol; or wherein the polyester results from the condensationreaction of dimethylterephthalate, 1,2-propanediol, diethylene glycol,and pentaerythritol.
 13. A toner composition in accordance with claim 11wherein the styrene butadiene copolymer contains 91 percent by weight ofstyrene, and 9 percent by weight of butadiene.
 14. A toner compositionin accordance with claim 9 wherein there is selected a suspensionpolymerized styrene butadiene resin.
 15. A developer compositioncomprised of the toner of claim 9, and carrier particles.
 16. Adeveloper composition in accordance with claim 15 wherein the carrierparticles are comprised of a core with a polymeric coating thereover.17. A method of obtaining images which comprises generating anelectrostatic latent image on a photoconductive imaging member,subsequently affecting development of this image with the tonercomposition of claim 9, thereafter transferring the image to a permanentsubstrate, and optionally permanently affixing the image thereto.
 18. Atoner in accordance with claim 9 wherein the fullerene is of a molecularweight of from about 384 to about 12,000.